


In Time

by notspecial (notforme)



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Broken Ed, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Spoilers for Episode: s03e09
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 09:20:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8618797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notforme/pseuds/notspecial
Summary: Continuing from the scene where Ed sees Isabella's body





	1. Chapter 1

Ed couldn't breathe. 

It felt like his sharp intake of breath as the cloth was lifted was his last.

Her body laid there on the cold slab of the ME's table. A lump of dead flesh. Makeup smeared, skin bruised and bones shattered out of place. Pieces of grit and various shrapnel from the scene stuck out of her skin like a gruesome sculpture. Blood splattered like lazily thrown paint of a anarchist.

She was dead again. This time laid out for all to see like some tranquilized beast.

A wave of nausea violently shook through Ed. He began to feel light headed, but still unable to take his eyes off her. 

She still looked the perfect imitation of Miss Kringle.

Ed took a step away from her, glaring down at the floor beneath his feet, watching it get closer and further away from him. Adrenaline racing, he felt his stomach churn.

He didn't even notice the man that left the room after briefly whispering something into Oswald's ear. Only hear the Penguin himself approaching, the clink of his cane against the marbled floor giving himself away before even opening his mouth.

"The officer said Isabella blew through a red light and crashed into a train, " Oswald stated, tone completely voice of all emotion. He couldn't let his glee show after getting so far. "They think she might have fell asleep at the wheel." Oswald paused, expending something, anything. 

No reaction.

Was Ed even hearing him?

"Your's was the last number in her phone." He'd have to try a different approach, maybe now was the time.. "I am so.. so sorry, Ed.." 

Oswald watched Ed's move from the side, lips lightly tracing his words before he spoke his own.

"Did she suffer?" Ed couldn't take his eyes off the corpse. It disgusted and intrigued him, even his sorrow cannot outdo his own perversions.

Oswald inspected from afar over the heavily bruised, purple, peaked skin around her bones and fat. "No," he remarked bitterly, pursing his lips tightly as to not spit any other comments. This was going according to plan so far..

Oswald returned his eyes to watch Ed's profile, his eyes now screwed tight as Oswald began to speak. 

"Anything you need, Ed.. Anything at all. I am hear for you," that was the first sincere thing he'd said all day. It felt good to finally let it out. A strange relief. He prayed it was enough for Ed to realize..

Ed felt a crisp chill run through him, breaking out in what felt like a sudden, cold fever, like his flesh was shaking undetectable under his skin. He turned. His eyes blurry and out of focus. He saw the doorway, bleak, dark and empty, and saw in his peripherals Oswald's concerned and caring eyes beam at him. He collapsed against the smaller man, letting his body fall to rest upon his, arms remained lifelessly at his sides.

Oswald gasps softly as Ed's whole weight pressed against his small frame. His heart pounded hard in his chest, the warmth of his own body pumping straight to his face as he pulled Ed further in towards him, locking him into a full embrace. Arms squeezing around his broad chest with every ounce of his being.

Ed stood as lifeless as the thing on the slab. He rested his head onto Oswald shoulder, silently glaring into the marble pattern of the floor, dark colours mixing with grey swirls like a galactic nebula, flecked with speckles of Isabella's blood. He found himself mesmerized. 

They remained this way for several moments. Oswald could stay like this for lifetime as far as he was concerned. He felt so loved, so needed. Ed needed him. The warmest embrace he'd had since his mother was murdered.

Ed's mind was blank, his body numb. He couldn't feel Oswald's arms around him, let alone the warmth or love emitting from his body. It did nothing to thaw his pain.

Oswald loosened his arms around Ed and let him go, his head still heavy upon his shoulder. He tried to take a step back, causing Ed to moan and small whimper. When did he get this close to Oswald that his whole weight was dependent on him?

"Let's go, Ed," Oswald whispered into his hair as he tried to turn towards the door.

Ed's hands that had remained by his side the entire time shifted forwards to grasp a hold of his own. They were soft and cold, like a velvety leather. Ed felt his brow burrow for a second, unable to avert his gaze from the floor, realizing only through touch that Oswald still had his gloves on. They felt nice, he was able to feel the roughness between his fingers. It reminded him he was still alive, even with the world ending around him.

Oswald blushed as Ed entwined their hands together, his other reaching up lightly to grab the front of Oswald's thick winter coat. 

"A-are you okay, Ed? Hey?" There was no reply, even trying to shake Ed's head from his shoulder proved fruitfulness. He remained a dead weight. Oswald lent back, allowing himself to use his one free hand to cup Ed's check, forcing his face to face his. "Ed..." Shit he didn't look good. Had he gone to far with this? He couldn't help feeling concerned for him but the guilt inside his gut was something else entirely. It was him that made him this way. 

Did he feel powerful, like a god? Yes. Was he happy with what's he'd done? He would be. Would Ed understand? In time.

"Come on, let's go home.." He placed his forehead against Ed's, so close to feel his jagged breaths against his eyelashes, causing his eyes to water slightly. But Ed still couldn't pick his eyes up from the ground, as if gravity pulled them downwards. 

Oswald felt himself blushing profusely as the thought only crossed his mind for a few seconds before he said the words.. This may be his only chance to get away with this. "I love you." He let the words hang in the air for a painstaking moment. "Ed.."

Responding to his name, he averted his gaze for the first time and watched as Oswald's mouth moved, curving as he spoke words which he couldn't hear. He could make out his name and nothing more.

His eyes were too heavy to keep open and he lost the power to hold his head up anymore, nustling it's full weight into Oswald's hand. He looked just like a kitten or small, injured animal, Oswald thought. 

He felt Ed's hand squeeze his, his body shaking slightly, knees threatening to give way.

"Let's get you home," Oswald breathed sweetly, using his free hand to straighten Ed as far as he could. He could no longer see his eyes, as clouded over as they were. Long strands of devilishly black hair covering his expressionless features. 

Ed refused to let go of Oswald's hand the entire way home.

Even when walking through the GCPD, turning the heads of many of the officers there that knew both men as bloodthirsty killers and criminals. Despite now being Mayor of Gotham, opinions don't change easy, even if they pledge to follow you loyally. Oswald knew he didn't have to worry about this with Ed, and felt a strange sense of pride leading him out of the police headquarters, fingers locked. Ed silently following behind him like a pet, holding onto his master for protection.

Ed was now his and his alone. He'd won.


	2. Chapter 2

Ed clung to Oswald's body, head pressed into the smaller man's chest as he sobbed. knuckles going stark white as he clung heavily to the lapel of his suit jacket.

Oswald awkwardly let his arms wrap around Ed's shaking back, causing him to press his entire body right up against Oswald's, much to his surprise. The matching materials of their suits scratched wetly against each other, raindrops still clinging to the fabric. The buttons clinking together on their shirts as Ed's body vibrated up and down with every shiver and cry.

"It's okay, Ed.." Oswald whispered softly in his ear, tightening his grasp on Ed with every heartbreaking cry. He hated this. He wanted him to stop. Oswald moved a hand from around Ed's back to glide through his hair, pushing his face further into his chest. The fibers of his hair all clamped together in thick patches made it difficult to not rip through rain-soaked knots.

Ed nodded against the fabric of Oswald's shirt, as much as he could with it stuck to the man's skin from his tears. The material originally white was now more of a glazed skin colour, the pink tones from his bare chest showing through. It was cold and damp against Oswald's skin, like a feverish sweat left for too long.

As Oswald began stroking Ed's head, caressing the cheek that was now exposed in his reach, Ed tried desperately to stop his tears, breath catching in his throat with every unwanted double intake of breath, his body desperate to get the lost oxygen back. Ed opened his mouth to speak but could only cough out spittle.

"Don't, Ed, it's okay," Oswald soothed. Is it? Is it really okay? He'd done this to him. He didn't know exactly what was going to come from killing Isabella, but he didn't know it was going to be this..

After a few still moments, Ed managed to regain his breath and stop the tears. He used his grip on Oswald jacket to pull his head up from where it lay. 

Oswald just watched silently, moving his hands to Ed's waist to help hold him up. He couldn't help feel anxious at what was going to happen. Sure he wanted nothing more to have Ed writhing in his lap, but not quite like this. Ed was unpredictable right now, and it scared Oswald a little. He could of easily burst into tears or a fit of manic laughter. This was Ed after all.

His glasses were halfway down his nose and loose hair from both sides covered the corners of his eyes. They were red, inflamed and sore from all the tears, bloodshot veins streaking across both eyes.

"Hey.." Oswald reached up a hand to pull the wild segments of dripping hair away from his face, and removed his glasses, steamed up from the warmth of Ed's own breaths against his chest, and placed them on the table next to the sofa.

Ed still wasn't looking at him properly, still only staring at his hands, watching his knuckles turn even whiter the harder he gripped onto Oswald's clothes. He only just now noticed the visibly concerned look on Oswald's face as he suddenly felt the presence of Oswald's thighs under his, and Oswald's hands around his waist, supporting him. They were so close.

Oswald watched as Ed's skin looked slightly flushed. Was he feeling okay? He still felt a bit wobbly, his body lightly shaking with ever intake of breath, lips slightly parted. 

Oswald didn't even realize his lips were the same, brows furrowed with worried.

Ed stared into Oswald's eyes for too long when they finally met, making Oswald blush and avert his eyes. Lips remaining slightly parted, he let his tongue dart out across them, they were dry from coming in from outside. 

Ed's deficient brain could process so little, he just blankly watched every detail of Oswald's face, all his little twitches and mannerisms he could see so clear this close up. He tightened the grip on Oswald's shirt as he leant his body forwards.

His lips were soft and slightly wet from his tongue. There contact so brief it was hard to extinguish any more details.

Oswald jumped, pulling his head back. Ed's remained where he was, leant in, eyes fluttering open to meet Oswald's once more, a rejected look softly sprayed across his features. His reactions were so slow.

Oswald took a moment to compose himself, skin glowing velvet. He tried to move where he sat on the sofa, but as he did Ed's weight on top of him moved too. There was no way of getting away from this. But did he want to? Despite the initial embarrassment, he found his heart pounding from a different kind of feeling.

As he saw Oswald's face relax, looking again to Ed with his usual look of infatuation, he leant in once more.

This time their lips met halfway. Oswald pulled up a hand from Ed's waist to gently cup his cheek, running his thumb across the wet skin.   
Well take this slowly, Oswald thought as he slightly increased the pressure. I'll savour this.

to be continued..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm such a tease~ 
> 
> Will continue more when I have time at the weekend (and will probably re-write this bit too as I'm half asleep now from work but wanted to write something regardless haa)

**Author's Note:**

> Can always continue further if you catch my drift *wink wink nudge nudge*
> 
> Another fic written in the space of an hour or so. God help me


End file.
